


Painted History

by damerey_knows



Series: Forever is a Long Time... [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst to come, F/M, Slow Burn, immortal au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-07-24 19:14:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16181438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/damerey_knows/pseuds/damerey_knows
Summary: Prompt: While visiting a museum with a group of friends, one of them notices a painting that has a ridiculously close resemblance to you. You all laugh about it, but you can’t help but be privately unnerved. You know that necklace, you got it in the mail a week ago, addressed to you but with no return address or name. You have yet to actually try it on.





	1. The Painting

**Author's Note:**

> Okay this may or may not be a multi chapter. I definitely have the material and plot lines to make this longer if people are interested, let me know what you think :D
> 
> -Jumana

Rey laughed at Finn, who was making weird comments about the paintings in front of them.

“Why paint one boring old haystack,” Finn said, waving his arms around dramatically. “When you could paint fifteen of the same haystack.”

“There are actually twenty-five haystacks,” Rose said, pointing to a plaque under the painting.

“I will never understand artists,” Finn lamented as they passed through the Impressionist wing of the Art Institute.

Rey and Rose shared a look as Finn’s attention was diverted by the paintings in the new room.

“Why on earth,” Finn asked, pulling up short. “Would you paint a severed cow’s head and a slab of meat?”

“Just to bother you,” Rey said with a laugh as she linked her arm through Roses. They slowly made their way around the room, pausing to study the painting of a ballerina posing at the front of the stage, a row of dancers behind her.

“Rey!”

They both jumped at Finn’s shout as he almost ran to where they were. Grabbing Rey’s arm, Finn tugged her to the other side of the gallery.

“Finn,” Rey complained. “We can get there just fine on our own.”

“I know you can, Peanut, but you need to see-”

“Whoa,” Rose breathed as they stopped in front of another painting.

The backdrop was done in the same gray hues as the Degas painting but the subject herself was much more vibrant. The woman in the painting had her back to the audience as she sat in front of a vanity, a dark red, almost black, dress hugged her thin frame as she stared at the audience through the mirror on the vanity, her eyes studying them as her hand touched a large emerald necklace at her throat.

But the strangest thing about the woman was…

“She looks just like you, Rey,” Rose said, shocked.

Rey leaned forward to study the painting, her hand unconsciously reaching up to the painting across the barrier.

“Excuse me,” a guard said, appearing out of nowhere. “Please don’t touch the artwork.”

Startled, Rey pulled her hand back and stammered an apology as she shoved her hands into her pockets.

The security guard looked mollified and walked back to her post at the door to the gallery.

“Who do you think she was?” Finn asked.

Rose leaned forward to look at the plaque beside the painting. “It’s called ‘ _Sunshine_ ’ by a guy called Massassi,” she said. “Never heard of him.”

Rey had never heard the name before either, but it sent a strange thrill through her, as if she were remembering something from a long forgotten dream. Rey let out a shaky laugh. “That’s so bizarre,” she said, unconsciously running her fingers over her throat where the necklace would’ve sat if she’d been the one in the painting, if she’d been confident enough to put it on when it had arrived in the mail five days ago.

“Yeah,” Finn said. “Sunshine, kinda fits, though.”

“I guess,” Rey said absently, her eyes still locked in the gaze of the woman in the painting. Taking a deep breath, Rey shook herself and turned from the painting. “C’mon, didn’t you want to see the tapestries, Rose?”

Rose’s excitement broke through her interest in the painting as she dragged both Finn and Rey through to where the giant tapestries were hung.

They spent another hour and a half wandering through the museum. Rey was still in a bit of a daze as they left and made their way back to the train.

“Who do you think she was?” Rose wondered.

“Hmm?” Rey asked, pulled from her thoughts.

“Your 1920s doppelganger,” Rose said. “Who was she?”

“I don’t know,” Rey said.

“Says here that that artist painted only five portraits, all of that Sunshine woman, before he disappeared in 1924,” Finn said, showing them his phone, which was open to Massassi’s Wikipedia page.

Rose took the phone and scrolled through the page, mumbling to herself as she read. “Says ‘no one knows who the woman was, though many assume she was his lover, based on the fact that she was the sole object of his work and the way he structured the paintings around her.”

“He disappeared?” Rey asked, an unknown worry filling her chest at Rose’s words.

Rose shrugged. “It say he dropped out of the public eye in late 1923 and when people went looking for him, his house in Marseille had been abandoned.”

Rey nodded. She didn’t know why this interested her to this degree. She had a naturally inquisitive mind, but her emotional investment into an artist she’d never heard of before today made her feel strange, as if she’d been missing something.

Just then the train reached their stop and they got off. Rose and Finn insisted, as they always did, on walking her back to her studio apartment. Normally Rey would protest, it was a few blocks out of their way after all, but she was happy for the company tonight. Rose and Finn’s constant conversation kept her mind off the weird feelings she was having.

They reached her door with no problems, reminiscing on the time Rose had dared Finn to see which of the two of them could eat the most buffet sushi in a single sitting (Rose had won and Finn had had to be almost carried home.)

“Goodnight,” Rose said cheerfully as she hugged Rey. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Absolutely,” Rey said, smiling into the hug.

“Bye, Peanut,”Finn said. “Or should we start calling you ‘Sunshine’?”

Rey rolled her eyes, “Goodnight,” she said, turning to unlock the door.

Once she was back in her apartment, Rey kicked off her shoes and dumped her jacket and purse on the chair near the door.

Stretching her arms above her head, she went into the bathroom. Today felt like it deserved a nice long bath.

Dropping a pomegranate scented bath bomb into the water, Rey inhaled deeply, letting the steam fill the room as she sank into the hot water.

She folded a towel under her head, feeling relaxed enough to almost fall asleep. The warmth surrounding her, the scent of the water, it was all working to take her mind off of everything that had happened.

When she went to bed an hour later, after the water had turned cold, she immediately fell into a deep sleep.

 

_She was sitting at her vanity, her hands reaching up to adjust the pins in her hair. They were going dancing tonight, he’d promised to show her everything this city had to offer._

_“You look beautiful, Sunshine,” a male voice said from behind her._

_Looking up at him in the mirror she smiled. “I’m almost ready,” she said, running her hands over her head to brush down any last minute flyaways. “There.” She turned to look at him. “All set.”_

_“Just one more thing,” he said walking towards her, and she noticed that he was holding his hands behind his back._

_“What’ve you got there?” she asked._

_“Turn around.”_

_She did as instructed and watched him through the mirror of her vanity. He set a large jewelry box on the counter in front of her, leaning over her so that his breath ghosted over her neck, sending a shiver down her spine._

_She could hear his gentle laugh as he reached around her to open the box, revealing an intricate necklace. It was made of white gold woven into delicate intertwining vines, centering on an emerald the size of her thumbnail at the front._

_“Oh, Darling,” she whispered, the awe evident in her voice. “It’s beautiful.”_

_He pressed a quick kiss to her collarbone as he lifted the necklace from its satin case and fastened it around her neck. “Only the very best for my gorgeous wife." He pressed another kiss into her temple._

_She looked up at him, her hand at the necklace. “I love you.” Rey could feel how much she meant those words. She was as sure of her love for him as she was that her hair was brown. It was a part of her.  
_

_“And I love you, mon amour.”_

_She stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning in to kiss him…_

 

Rey bolted upright in bed, breathing hard, one hand at her chest. She stared wildly around her as her darkened apartment came into focus around her. Her phone read 3:45 as she used the light to make her way to the bathroom.

Flipping on the light above the sink, Rey studied her reflection. Apart from her slightly reddened cheeks she appeared normal. Her hair was straight past her shoulders, not cropped and fixed in rigid curls. Her mouth was clear of the bright red lipstick of the woman in the painting. She was alone in her apartment, no handsome, dark haired men waiting for her in the other room.

Rey splashed some water on her face. _What is happening to me?_ The thought swam before her eyes. Could she be going crazy? No, Finn and Rose had both seen the painting, too. And her doorman had handed her the package with the necklace. All those were real, was the man in her dream real too? It hadn’t felt like a dream though, it had felt almost like a memory. But she’d never been in that room. She’d never worn that dress before. She’d never seen the man before.

Rey tried to go back to sleep, but every time she closed her eyes she saw the face of the man from her dream, the man who’d given her the necklace.

She finally gave up on sleep when her alarm rang at 7:30. Sighing, she dragged herself out of bed, vowing to not think about the necklace she’d buried deep in her closet.

* * *

Rey finished her last class of the day having spent the entirety of it flipping back and forth between her notes and her internet search for Massassi. Google had only been marginally helpful, providing her with a few more details of his life and the other four paintings of the ‘ _Sunshine_ ’ woman. He’d begun in Barcelona but had moved to France fairly quickly. The woman in the painting was only ever referred to as ‘ _Sunshine,_ ’ and once he’d painted her playing with his dog Basilio.

She was so caught up in her thoughts as she left the class room she almost ran headlong into Finn.

“Hey, Peanut,” he said, cheerfully.

“Oh, hi.”

“Thought you might want to get dinner with me. Rosie has a late shift at the library tonight.”

Rey rolled her eyes. “You know at some point you’re going to have to realize that it is one hundred percent possible for you to go out for ramen on your own. No one is going to judge you for it.”

Finn laughed. “But, why would I do that when I know you’ll always come with me?” he said throwing an arm around her shoulders as they began walking down the street towards the ramen place.

The two of them spent the evening bantering back and forth about the random events of the day.

“You should’ve seen his face!” Rey was saying as Finn crowed with laughter. “This idiot freshman thought he knew more than Leia about international trade agreements just because he’d visited Switzerland last summer with his parents.”

Finn wiped the tears from his eyes as he caught his breath. “What a dumbass.”

Rey laughed with him for another minute before sobering up. “Thank you for this, by the way,” she said, quieter than she was a minute ago. “I needed the distraction.”

“Anytime, Peanut, you know that.” Finn’s smile was gentle. “You want to talk about it?”

“I don’t know,” Rey said, staring down at the last of the broth in her bowl. “I just - the painting from the museum last night, I don’t know. It felt familiar, like I’d seen it before, like it really was me sitting at that vanity.”

Finn nodded, quiet for the first time all evening. “Maybe,” he said. “Maybe, you’re an immortal, like Keanu Reeves.”

Rey burst out laughing. She could always count on Finn to cheer her up.

* * *

Rey made it a week before she went back to the museum. It was a Tuesday night and the gallery was almost empty. She had brought a sketchbook with her and was sitting on the ground in front of ‘ _Sunshine_ ’, trying to recreate the emerald necklace on the paper in ink.

With her headphones in she didn’t notice the footsteps walking up to her until she saw the black dress shoes in her peripheral vision.

Startled, she yanked her headphones out and looked up at the man.

“You’re quite good at that,” said the man from her dream, gesturing to her sketchbook. His voice was soft, with the same timbre as it had in her dream.

“Uhh, th-thank you,” Rey managed to stammer out as she stumbled to her feet.

The man smiled at her. He had soft brown eyes and wavy black hair. He looked a few years older than Rey, but she could see the laughter and kindness in his eyes as he looked at her.

“I’m Poe,” he said, his smile widening as he offered his hand for her to shake.

Rey reached out, her smile matching his as she spoke. “Rey.” When her hand met his, she felt a spark travel up her arm and shoot down her spine. It was almost as if her soul was reaching out to touch him, recognizing him from this simple meeting.

“Well, Rey,” he said, his smile making his eyes crinkle at the corners. “I must say, you do strike me as familiar.” His voice was light and teasing as he nodded up at the painting in front of them.

“I guess so,” Rey said, gazing up at the painting shyly. “I don’t know why, but it feels as if I’ve seen this painting before. But, when I asked the staff, they said that it had only just been released to the public. I think it was in a private collection before…” she trailed off, her eyes tracing once again over the delicate curve of ‘ _Sunshine_ ’s hand at the necklace.

“Yes, I believe it was in a private collection,” Poe said, a faintly amused note coloring his voice.

Rey looked at him curiously. Just as she opened her mouth to say something, however, a voice came over the intercom, announcing that the museum would be closing in twenty minutes.

Poe didn't seem too bothered by the announcement. He stared up at the painting for a long moment before turning back to her. “That necklace really does bring out her beauty, doesn't it?”

Rey gave a noncommittal shrug. “I guess, but to me her attitude in the painting is the most striking.”

“How so?”

“Well,” Rey said, pausing to shove her sketchbook back into her bag. “I’m not an art major or anything, but it seems very direct, her posture that is.” She pointed to the Degas painting a few feet away. “Massassi’s contemporaries seemed, for the most part, to pose their subject in a much more relaxed way, almost demure. She’s looking right at us. Makes her feel more present, more real, I guess.”

Poe laughed delightedly at that. “Yes, she does feel very real doesn’t she?”

Rey was about to answer when a security guard came in and began to usher them out of the gallery.

Standing in the slight chill of the early October evening, Rey turned to Poe. “Well, it was nice meeting you,” she said, fiddling with the strap of her bag.

“Yes, it was,” Poe said, more an afterthought than anything else.

Rey studied him in the dim orange light of the city, her gaze caught in his as she waited for him to say something else.

“Here,” he said after a long pause, digging into his pocket and pulling out a pen and a business card. He quickly scribbled down a phone number. “If you ever want to talk more about Massassi or ‘ _Sunshine_ ’.”

Rey smiled and accepted the card. “Goodnight, Poe.”

“Goodnight,” she heard him say quietly as she walked down the steps of the Art Institute and towards her train.

She resolved then, as she took a seat on the Red Line, that she would tell Rose about the necklace tomorrow when she was over. _It’s just a necklace,_ she thought to herself. _What’s the worst that could happen?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did you think? Should I continue it? There's definitely more details, back and forths between now and their past lives together, what happened to make them disappear in the 1920s...
> 
> Let me know if you want more <3  
> \- Jumana


	2. Girls Night In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ask and yee shall receive. Thank you all for commenting so much on the last chapter. this is a kinda short chapter, but I do have more planned so stay tuned :D
> 
> Enjoy  
> Jumana
> 
> (Also i just finished writing this like ten seconds ago so i will probably edit it later).

Rey opened her apartment door the next day to reveal Rose standing there with a large grocery bag in hand, grinning from ear to ear. “Hey!”

“Hi,” Rey said, stepping back to let her into the apartment.

“I brought enough junk to make it through at least three movies,” Rose said as she went to put the bag down in the kitchen.

Rey laughed. “What kind of popcorn?”

“Stupid question,” Rose replied, laughing as she pulled a large bowl down from the cupboard. “Chicago style, obviously.”

Rey sat down on her futon, pulling up the movie on her laptop. Her thoughts were elsewhere as Rose came to sit next to her.

“You okay?” Rose asked as she set the bowl of popcorn down on the table next to Rey’s laptop.

“Hmm?” Rey looked up. “Yeah, I’m alright.”

Rose took a long look at her. “You sure?” You’ve been a bit distracted lately. Finn said you were worried about the painting…” she trailed off, giving Rey the option to talk more.

Rey sighed. “I just - since we saw that painting something hasn’t sat right with me. And even before that something’s felt off.”

“Off how?” Rose asked gently, pulling Rey’s blue blanket off the back of the futon and spread it over their laps.

“I’m not sure,” Rey started. “Recently I’ve been having these really vivid dreams. And two weeks ago I got this in the mail.” Rey stood up and went to her closet. She brought out the flat jewelry box and handed it to Rose as she tucked herself back under the blanket.

Confused, Rose took it and unlatched the lid. It was almost comical how fast Rose’s jaw dropped when she saw the necklace nestled in the satin. “Is that real?” she asked, her hand hovering over the emerald at the center.

“I’m pretty sure,” Rey said quietly, studying it as well. “It just showed up, there wasn’t a note or a return label or anything.”

Rose looked up at her. “But, it looks just like-”

“The one in the painting,” Rey finished. “I think it might be the same one.”

Rose set the box down on Rey’s coffee table and pulled the laptop towards her. “There has to be some explanation for this,” she muttered, closing the movie and pulling up Google and their university’s online archives.

Rey smiled at her. Rose would be the one to immediately try to find out as much information as possible.

“Okay,” Rose said, eyes still fixed on the screen. “What did you mean by ‘vivid dreams’?”

“I don’t know,” Rey said, evasively. “Okay, that night, after we went to the museum, I had a dream that I was sitting at the vanity in the painting getting ready to go dancing. I remember putting on makeup and fixing my hair, then a man came into the room.” Rey hesitated, sure of how crazy this would sound. “And he gave me the necklace and - and he called me his wife.”

Rose was smiling at her. “That sounds nice.”

“That’s not even the crazy part,” Rey said, her fingers twisting nervously into the blanket  on her lap.

“What do you mean?”

Rey took a deep breath. “I went back to the museum yesterday.”

Rose looked up with interest. “Okay…”

“I saw him there,” Rey said quietly.

“What?” Rose’s face betrayed her shock.

“I met the man who I dreamed about,” Rey repeated.

“Oh. My. God.” Rose was very close to squealing. “Tell me _everything!_ ”

Rey smiled down at her hands as she recounted her meeting with Poe.

“You gonna call him?” Rose asked, blunt as ever.

“I don’t know,” Rey hedged. “I don’t really even know him, and I don’t know what to think about any of this.”

“Well,” Rose started, setting the laptop aside and picking up the necklace again. “He did say that you could ask him about the painting right?”

Rey nodded.

“You could just ask him what he knows about all of this.”

Rey shook her head vehemently. “No, I can’t. I only just met this guy, I can’t drop this much crazy on a stranger.”

Rose looked at her for a long moment before conceding. “Okay, I see your point. But-” she held up a finger when Rey tried to interject. “That doesn’t mean you can’t get to know him anyways.”

Rey shifted uncomfortably on the couch. She’d never been good with dating, or emotions in general. She always felt too awkward around the guys who had asked her out before, and even then those relationships hadn’t gone very far. “I don’t know…” she trailed off.

Rose rolled her eyes. “You find out that you have a dream husband who buys you ridiculously expensive presents and when you find out he’s real you don’t want to get to know him better? I don’t get you.” Rose’s voice was teasing, but still kind in that way that only she could be. “At least do me one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Put on the necklace and let me take a picture of you in the mirror.” Rose’s grin was wide as she offered the necklace to Rey.

Rey laughed and rolled her eyes. “Fine,” she said standing up. “Let’s go.”

Laughing, Rose followed her into the bathroom. Rose lifted the necklace out of the box and Rey stooped down so she could fasten it around her neck.

Almost the moment the clasp was secured around her neck, Rey felt dizzy.

“Rey?” She could hear Rose talking but her voice was fuzzy. She leaned forward and caught herself on the edge of the sink as the world around her faded.

 

_She was younger this time, maybe fourteen or fifteen. She was laughing as she ran through the woods, looking over her shoulder for her pursuer._

_“Wait for me!” she heard him shout from a few yards behind her._

_Laughing louder she skidded to a stop and darted behind a large oak tree, the lace lining her long skirt caught on some brambles but Reyna didn’t care, tugging herself free just as Poe, but here his name was Peter, came into view. He was younger too, maybe sixteen, but she’d recognize that breathless smile anywhere._

_She held her breath as his eyes searched for her. Quietly, she snuck closer to him, holding her skirt close to her._

_“Reyna!” Peter shouted. “Reyna, where are you?!”_

_Taking one last step, Reyna stood directly behind Peter. Smiling a wicked smile, she threw her arms around his neck, laughing as he stumbled forward slightly. “No need to shout,” she whispered in his ear, her chest pressed against his back. “I’m right here.”_

_His laughter reverberated through her. “I don’t know why I even bother,” he said, loosening her grip enough to turn around and slip his hands around her waist._

_“Because,” Reyna said, still giggling. “If you didn’t spend time with me, you’d have to spend it with Ben.”_

_Peter nodded. “You_ are _much better company, I must admit.”_

_Reyna smiled widely and leaned in to place a kiss on his cheek._

_“Uhh, shall we eat?” Peter stammered out, a flush rising up his neck._

_Reyna nodded, releasing him and going to sit down on a fallen log._

_Peter pulled out two apples and a bit of cheese from his satchel as he sat down next to her. He cut up the apples with his pocket knife and gave her slices as they chatted._

_Reyna looked around them as they sat, quietly for the moment.”You know, I find myself liking Boston quite a lot.”_

_“Really?” Peter asked, his face curiously stiff._

_“Yes,” Reyna said quietly. “When Papa said we’d be moving here I was sure I would hate it, but…”_

_“But…” Peter prompted._

_“But it’s actually quite lovely,” Reyna whispered, her gaze caught in his._

_Peter began leaning in slowly, his eyes flickering between hers and her lips…_

 

Rey felt cold water on her face, pulling her from the vision.

“Rey! Can you hear me?”

The voice belonged to Rose. Rey had slid to the floor, her back against the sink as Rose tried to get her attention.

“Are you alright? What happened?” Rose’s rapid questions barely gave Rey enough of a chance to to breathe.

“I-I think I’m fine,” Rey said reaching up to push away the wet washcloth Rose was dabbing against her face. “That was weird.”

“What happened exactly?” Rose asked. “I just put this on you and you collapsed,” she pointed to the necklace, now resting on the counter above them. “You’re lucky you didn’t hit your head.”

Rey took a deep breath. “I think it was another one of those dreams,” she said quietly. Rey reached out and let Rose pull her upright. “It was so real, though, like a memory.”

“Okay... “ Rose said hesitantly as they walked back to the couch. “What happened in this vision?”

“It was different from before,” Rey said before recounting the vision.

“Okay,” Rose said, hesitantly. “Maybe we should get rid of the necklace.”

“NO!” Rey shouted. “No, it-it isn’t a bad thing. I can’t explain it, but it feels like it belongs to me.”

“Rey,” Rose said, a note of forced calm in her voice. “Rey, you just put it on and collapsed.”

“I won’t put it on, I just… I know it’s important.”

Rose sighed, clearly sensing Rey’s stubbornness coming out to play. Spreading the blanket out over their laps again she reached for the popcorn. “Fine, but don’t put it on when I’m not here, okay? For my sanity, please?”

Rey nodded. She wasn’t planning on putting it on again, at least not until she learned more about it.

“And please, please, don’t go to meet this Poe guy without telling me or Finn,” Rose said, earnestly. “Just in case.”

Rey nodded. She pulled her laptop towards her and started up the movie. "Alright, now, for Monsters Inc."

Rose laughed and leaned into her side as they watched the desk lamp hop across the screen.


	3. Coffee and Chai

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BAM THREE POSTS IN ONE DAY I'M ON FIRE!!
> 
> Okay, sorry if my last chapter was a little unclear about the flashbacks. So far I have three different flashback-lifetimes that I plan on including in this story, Modern times is set in now in Chicago, the flashback from Chapter 1 was 1920s France, and the flashback from Chapter 2 was Boston 1670s and maybe one more. not sure yet if i will add more than just those three but we shall see... 
> 
> For Damerey Week 2018 Day 7: Free Day  
> [for the rest of my Damerey week Fics click here](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1161611)  
> hope you enjoy this  
> \- Jumana

Rey stared at her blank essay, stubbornly refusing to let her eyes drift to where she’d pinned Poe’s card to her bulletin board. _Finish this. Focus and finish this. It’s just a card. You need to finish this._ Rey knew that Leia liked her a lot but she still wouldn’t accept a late paper because of a guy.

“Fine,” she muttered to herself, frustratedly setting her laptop aside and going to get the card.

On the front of the card was the name _Poe Dameron_ printed in neat block letters along with the name of a financial company in the Loop. The number he’d scribbled on the back seemed like a better bet.

“I’m just going to text him,” she muttered to herself as she picked up her phone.

**Hi, Poe. It’s Rey from the museum. I was wondering if you’d want to get coffee sometime. I would love to chat more about Massassi.**

Rey hit send before she could rethink her message. Looking at the little text bubble on her side of the screen she lost her nerve, flinging the phone onto her bed and going to sit on the futon, embarrassment making her pull the hood of her sweatshirt over her head tightly. _Why did I send that?_ she thought.

Before she could think herself any deeper into her awkwardness, her phone chimed with a text.

**I would love to. Does tomorrow at 7 work?**

Rey breathed deeply. **Sounds good. Kanata’s in Lincoln Park?**

She barely had a chance to set the phone down before it chimed with his response. **Perfect.**

Rey looked at her phone for a long moment before calling Rose, her essay completely forgotten.

* * *

Rey bounced on the balls of her feet as she stood on the Red line, gripping the train’s overhead railing. Rose had convinced her to take advantage of the unseasonably warm October day and wear a purple dress with knit leggings and a cardigan to meet Poe.

As Rey walked out of the station and down the road she couldn’t help but wonder what, if anything, Poe would be able to tell her about Massassi and the woman in the painting. From all of her and Rose’s research last weekend they hadn’t found much more. The guy was like a ghost. Showing up here and there to argue art with some of the big names of the day but then vanishing. They couldn’t even find a decent picture of the guy.

As she walked down the street, Rey listened to the usual hustle and bustle around her. Dodging around a group of teenagers from the suburbs, Rey walked into the cafe and cast a look around. It was a moderately busy day, there seemed to be a class going on in one of the back rooms. Several college kids milled around at the tables, laptops, notes, and textbooks strewn around. Rey breathed in the comforting scent of coffee that hung in the air as she walked up to the counter.

Just as she was fumbling for her wallet she heard someone walk up behind her. “Allow me.”

Looking up Rey’s voice caught in her throat when her eyes landed on Poe. He was wearing a dark leather jacket over jeans and a t-shirt. He was smiling broadly as he stepped around her and added a black coffee to her order before paying.

“Hi,” she finally managed, stepping out of the line.

“Hello,”  he said, still smiling at her as he led them to a booth towards the back of the coffee house.

Rey smiled, taking her seat across from him. She tucked her hair behind her ear nervously.

“So,” Poe said, pulling Rey’s gaze up from the table. “You said you wanted to talk more about Massassi…?”

“Yes,” Rey said, relieved for the conversation starter. “I just, I’ve been looking online for more about him or the paintings but I couldn’t find much…” she trailed off.

Poe smiled. “Well, Massassi was a very private man, I’m not surprised you didn’t find much.” He paused for a long moment, his eyes studying her face with an unfathomable expression. “Besides, Massassi was a pseudonym.”

Rey opened her mouth to ask more but was interrupted by a voice to her left. “I have one chai and one black coffee.”

Rey turned to see a short, old woman standing at their table setting down their mugs.

“Thanks, Maz,” Poe said smoothly.

“Anytime. How’s my boyfriend doing?” Maz said, reaching over to pinch his cheek.

Poe rolled his eyes. “Last I heard, Chewie was doing just fine.”

“Good.” Maz’s eyes, magnified by her thick glasses to the size of golfballs, turned to fix on Rey. “I see you’ve made a friend.” Rey couldn’t help feeling as if this woman knew something about her, something even she didn’t.

“This is Rey,” Poe said, smiling up at her. “Rey, this is Maz, she owns this place.”

“Oh, hi,” Rey said, offering her hand to the older woman.

Maz took her hand, still scrutinizing her face. “You have the eyes of a woman I once knew.”

Rey could feel her confusion showing on her face. Turning to Poe, Rey saw his smile turn soft. “Maz,” he said, as if prompting her to caution.

“Alright, I’ll leave you to it then,” Maz said as she turned and tucked her tray under her arm, walking back to the register.

“Sorry about that,” Poe said, reaching for the creamer.

“She’s a friend, I take it,” Rey asked, taking a sip of her chai.

“Yeah.” Poe looked down at his hands, an unreadable expression on his face.

“Umm,” Rey started, a bit unsure of how to get the conversation flowing again. “You said something about a pen-name?”

“Yes,” Poe said, his expression shifting slightly. He was looking for something in her face, waiting for some reaction. “His name was Peter Velazquez.”

Rey felt a jolt pass through her at the name. Peter Velazquez was _not_ the name of a man in 1922, it was the name of the boy in 1674. She couldn’t say what had made her so sure of that, but she knew it was true.

“Rey?” Poe asked, worry evident on his face. She must have looked as confused as she felt. “Are you alright.”

“That’s not his name.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, her hands shaking against her mug. “How do you know that name?”

Poe’s expression was soft as he looked at her, clearly understanding something she was just beginning to see. “The same way you know the name Raisa Bisset.”

Rey felt the same swoop of recognition in her gut as she looked at him. Her jaw worked as she tried to think of a response.

“Rey?”

“I’m sorry,” Rey muttered, standing up, her drink forgotten as she ran for the door.

“Wait!” she heard behind her.

Wrenching the door open she stepped into the cool evening air. She didn’t stop running till she reached the playground of a school three blocks away. Sinking down onto a swing, she took a deep breath, then another, trying to slow her racing heart. _What’s happening to me?_

She heard the sound of shoes on woodchips through her panic. Looking up, she saw Poe standing a few feet away, his hand raised as if reaching out to her. A small voice in the back of her mind told her to reach back, but she couldn’t, not yet.

“Who are you?” she managed to get out. “How do you know about that?”

The look of concern didn’t leave his face. He sat down on the swing next to her. “It’s quite a long story,” he said, his eyes shifting to the woodchips under his shoes.

“I’ve got time.”

Poe chuckled. “You’re as stubborn as ever.” He took a deep breath before looking up to meet her eyes. “What do you know about reincarnation”

A month ago Rey would have scoffed at him, but now. “You mean like Hinduism?”

“Not quite.” Poe’s eyes were earnest as he looked at her. “You and I are what they call ‘Old Souls’.”

“Old Souls?”

Poe nodded. “People who come back and live again with memories of the last time.”

“That’s not possible,” Rey breathed.

Poe laughed. “Sometimes I wish it wasn’t, but it is.”

“Are there others?”

Poe nodded. “I’ve met a few. Maz is one. We first met her in Boston.”

Rey’s mind reeled. “And the painting?”

“I made it, I was using the stage name Massassi,” Poe said quietly. “Your name then was Raisa.”

“I don’t - I can’t -” Rey stammered, her hands wringing in her lap.

“It’s okay,” Poe said, quickly. “I know it’s a lot to take in.”

Rey stared at him. She could feel the tears stinging in the corners of her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself before asking the question burning at the edge of her tongue. “But how do you know all of this?”

“That,” Poe said, sighing sadly. “Is a longer story for another time, I’m afraid.”

Rey wanted to ask more, but something in his tone told her it wasn’t a good idea right now. She reached out her hand to him, wanting to take away some of the pain in his expression.

Poe smiled as he took her hand. They sat in silence for a long minute, just studying each other’s face. Rey’s eyes caught on a scar above his right temple and etched lines on either side of his eyes, small imperfections that made him seem so much more real, so much more handsome than she’d first thought. She wondered, idly, where the scar had come from.

Rey jumped when her phone rang in her purse, startling her from her reverie. Pulling it out, she sighed as she saw Rose’s picture flash across the screen. “Sorry,” she said, slightly embarrassed.

“You can answer that,” Poe said, releasing her hand.

“It’s just my friend Rose,” Rey said, quickly declining the call and sending her a text. Rey shivered as she pocketed her phone.

“Here.” Rey looked up just as Poe draped his jacket around her shoulders.

“Thank you,” Rey said as she slid her arms into the sleeves.

Poe smiled as he sat back down.

Rey could smell his cologne on the jacket, it made her feel warm, like she was coming home. Which made no sense to her, she shouldn’t feel this comfortable with a total stranger. If what he was saying was true, as far fetched as it sounded, her reaction could be seen as normal, but Rey was still not quite sold on the theory.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

Rey hesitated, unsure how to phrase it. “Did you send me the necklace?”

Poe laughed. “No, Sunshine, I didn’t.”

Rey tried not to let how natural the nickname felt distract her. “But then how- how did it come to me in the mail?”

“The necklace from the painting?”

Rey nodded.

“Every time we come back, every time we’re reborn, someone - I’m not sure who - sends us something from our past lives to help jog our memories. You got the necklace I gave you for our first anniversary in Marseilles. I got this.” He pulled out the pocket knife Rey had seen him using as a teenager.

“But how did they know where....?” Rey trailed off, staring at the knife in his hand.

Poe shrugged. “I guess the powers that be have a forwarding address or something, I’m not actually sure.”

Rey looked up at him. Studying his face in the dim light of the street lamps she could tell that he was being honest with her. She couldn’t help staring into his earnest eyes. “What am I to you?” she asked, her voice breathy.

Poe looked at her for a long moment, weighing his answer. “You are Rey. You have always been there at some point during my life, and you are someone I lo-care for very much.”

“You said we were married?”

“Yes, in some lifetimes we were married.” There was an air of wistfulness in Poe’s voice. “In some we were the best of friends. In every lifetime, you were someone special to me.”

Rey brushed her hair back from her face. Taking a shaky breath she stood from the swing. “I- um- I think I should go home,” she said, handing him back his jacket. “I need to- um- I need to-”

“I understand,” Poe said gently, standing. “At least let me call you a cab.”

“Oh, I couldn’t-”

“I insist,” Poe said, offering his arm to her as they walked down the block to the busier street.

When the cab came to a halt, Poe opened the door for her. “Please, Rey,” he said, pulling her from her thoughts. “Take as much time as you need to process this. You have my number if you have any questions or if you just want to talk.”

Rey nodded and gave the cabbie her address. She watched as Poe leaned through the passenger side window and handed the cabbie some cash.

As they pulled away from the curb Rey looked back. Poe was standing there, his hands in his pockets, watching the car disappear around a corner, a contented smile on his face.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think :D  
> -Jumana


	4. Remembering...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys,  
> Guess I'm more productive with this than I am with my own Nanowimo project... (seriously wrote most of this chap today, still figuring out how to plot a lot of my own book :/)  
> Anyways hope you guys enjoy this. Let me know what you think <3  
> -Jumana

Rey tossed in her bed a few nights later. Punching her pillow into a different shape she pulled the blanket higher under her chin.

She couldn’t stop her mind from replaying Poe’s words earlier over and over again. _Old Souls… People who remember… France, Boston, Chicago… Every lifetime you were someone special to me._

Heaving a deep sigh, Rey sat up and turned on the light next to her bed. She got out of bed and went to pull out the necklace from its hiding place. She sat down on her futon, a blanket pulled over her lap.

She traced the soft velvet of the case with a finger, lost in thought. It was nearly 2a.m., Rose wouldn’t be awake, Poe probably wouldn’t either. She didn’t know if she should even tell Finn about any of this.

She debated for a few minutes before opening the case. It couldn’t hurt just to look at it a bit. The necklace really was quite beautiful. The stone in the center glinted in the low light of her lamp. Rey studied it closely. There were beads shaped like leaves dotting the chain, lending to the idea of vines. The emerald was surrounded by more intricately woven metal, holding it in place with delicate touches.

Rey took a deep breath. She had promised Rose that she wouldn’t put it on alone, but she couldn’t help her curiosity. _Maybe if I just…_ she traced the emerald with one finger…

 

_Reyna walked hand in hand with Peter as they made their way through the crowded marketplace. Well walked was a bit of an understatement, Reyna was pulling at Peter’s hand trying to get him to go faster. Peter, on the other hand, dug his heels in, smiling at her._

_“Peter!” she whined. “C’mon!”_

_“Not doin’ nothing,” he singsonged, his smile something his mother had once described as ‘Positively Puck-like.’_

_It was Reyna’s sixteenth birthday and, purely by chance, a traveling theater troupe had set up on the outskirts of the marketplace earlier that week. Her father had given them each a shilling to go see the play, but for some reason Peter wasn’t as excited as he had been when they’d left her house._

_“Peter!” She groaned as she tugged on his arm with all her strength, getting buffeted around by the crowd._

_Peter’s eyes softened slightly, but his smile remained impish. “Come this way.” Suddenly yanking on her arm, he steered them both to the side of the queue for tickets._

_“Where are we going?” Reyna asked, her eyes widening as he pulled her around the courthouse and towards the back of the building_

_“You’ll see,” he said, tugging her towards a side door of the courthouse. As he led them through the halls and up a flight of stairs, Reyna laughed, understanding, finally, where he was taking her. It was no surprise that he knew all the ins and outs of this building, after all, his father was a long term judge. Peter had basically grown up in this building._

_When they reached the top of the staircase, Peter paused, staring at the locked window. He looked over at Reyna conspiratorially, before reaching out and pulling a pin from her hair. He turned, knelt down, and began to pick at the lock. “Almost… Just a little bit,” he muttered to himself. “There.” The padlock clicked as it fell open. Pressing forwards on the pane of glass, Peter bowed to her, holding out her pin. “After you, my lady.”_

_Reyna laughed and strode forward. Taking the pin, she tucked it into her pocket before gripping his hand and ducking through the window. The roof was slanted, but she was able to stand on the wooden shingles after a little wobbling. She stepped to the side of the window as Peter climbed out onto the roof as well, one hand still holding hers, the other hanging on to the window’s edge._

_They moved slowly, half walking, half crawling, around the dormer window and up to the peak of the rooftop. Peter lay down, just his arms and head poking over the arch of the roof. “C’mon,” Peter said, and Reyna followed suit. Glancing over the top, Reyna could see the stage where the play was going to take place. “We’ll go get caramel apples after the play,” Peter said, winking at her._

_“You’re a genius,” Reyna said, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek, before settling her chin on her hands._

_Peter’s ears turned bright red as he turned back to look at where two performers were emerging from behind the curtain._

_“_ **_I'll sue you for this! I’m a customer!..._ ** _”_

_Reyna watched the stage with rapt attention. The play went on for at least an hour and a half but Reyna couldn’t bear to move from her position, lest she miss something._

_As the performers took their final bows Reyna turned to hug Peter. “Thank you,” she whispered into his ear._

_She could feel his answering grin against her neck as he hugged her back. “C’mon,” he said pulling back. “We should go before you get in trouble.”_

_“Me!” Reyna demanded. “Why me, this was your idea!” As she made to stand up, Peter bumped her with his shoulder and she stumbled. Just at that moment, the shingle under her foot came loose. She slammed back onto the roof and began sliding down. She made a scramble to find anything to hold onto but she could feel herself tipping off the edge falling down onto the ground below. As she fell she could hear Peter shouting for her._

_Reyna landed on her feet but her knees buckled as pain shot through her left foot. Rolling onto her back, Reyna stared up at the clouds above, her vision blurry, trying to catch her breath._

_“Are you alright?” a concerned voice came from her right. It seemed that a crowd of people had stopped what they were doing to investigate the girl who had fallen two stories._

_Reyna could do nothing but lay there, trying to regain her breath as the pain continued to skate up her leg._

_“Move!” She heard Peter’s voice screaming as he pushed through the crowd. “Reyna!” He raced to kneel by her side. “I’m so sorry, Reyna, please tell me you’re okay! Please! Reyna, say something.”_

_As his face came into focus above her, Reyna could see tears flowing from his eyes, fear etched across his face._

_“It hurts, Peter,” she managed, her voice sounding weak and frail to even her own ears._

_Peter’s hands hovered over her. “Where?” he asked, his voice not doing anything to mask his panic as he searched for her injury._

_“Foot,” she murmered, her own tears blurring her eyes again._

_“She needs a doctor,” the concerned voice from before said. Reyna looked over to see Father Scott staring at Peter earnestly._

_“I’ll take her home,” Peter said, shifting to slide his arms under her, careful not to jostle her foot as he stood up._

_Reyna had always known Peter was strong, but she had never fully appreciated it before now. She lay her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes as the crowd parted for them. Father Scott lead the way to the edge of the marketplace before he took off to get the doctor while Peter carried her back home, muttering apologies the entire way._

_Her father saw them approach, and ran up to them with concern as Peter continued to carry her. “What happened?”_

_Reyna looked up at Peter, curious as to what he would say. Her father had always cautioned her against climbing too high._

_“She tripped and fell,” Peter said. “Father Scott said she might have broken her ankle, he went to get the doctor.”_

_Her father seemed to accept this explanation, worry lines etching themselves deeper in his face as he moved to hold the door to their house open. He led Peter up to her bedroom and called for the housekeeper._

_“Mary, can you get more pillows for my daughter?” he asked when she appeared._

_Mary’s eyes widened as she saw Peter settling Reyna on her bed and extending her injured leg carefully._

_“I’m sorry,” Peter said._

_Reyna looked up at him and saw the tears still in his eyes. She grabbed for his hand as her father stepped out of the room to go open the door for the doctor. “Thank you for bringing me back.”_

_Peter let out a shaky laugh as he squeezed her hand gently. “I couldn’t very well leave you there, Sunshine.”_

_Reyna smiled at him, weakly. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she could the doctor was bustling into the room and Peter stepped back from the bed._

_Peter didn’t go far, though. He was there when the doctor had to set the bone in her leg. He held her hand, let her squeeze it as hard as she could, and tried to distract her with some stupid gossip that he’d forgotten to tell her about something Ben had done last week. Or maybe it was something about that new girl who had come from the Caribbean a few months ago, Asiya or Ahsoka or something, she couldn’t remember. All she could think about was Maz’s hands on her ankle._

 

Rey gasped as she fell out of the vision. She pulled the blanket back to stare at her foot. It was perfectly fine now, but the memory had felt so real.

She set the necklace down on the coffee table, careful not to touch it again. Pacing the few feet of space between the window of her studio and her front door she dialed Poe’s number without thinking.

He answered on the second ring. “Hello?” His voice was husky, and Rey felt a shot of guilt for waking him up for a moment before she remembered why she called.

“You broke my ankle.”

“Rey?” She could hear Poe moving, probably turning on a lamp.

“Yes,” she said, still pacing. “It was my birthday and we were on the roof of the courthouse and-”

“Yes, I remember,” Poe interrupted, laughing in a self deprecating way. “So you put on the necklace again?”

Rey took a deep breath, finally calm enough to sit back down. “No, I just held it for a few minutes.”

“How much did you see?”

“I-” Rey paused. “It ended when Maz was setting my leg.”

Poe groaned. “I wish you hadn’t seen that. It was bad enough the first time around.”

Rey pulled the blanket around her again. “How was it so clear? Last time I put it on, I fell out of the memory so much faster.”

“Was someone there with you last time?” Poe asked. “Could be because they tried to pull you out before the end of the vision.”

Rey hummed in agreement. “I guess I did freak Rose out last time.”

Poe chuckled. “Yea, it’s not exactly something normal to watch.”

Rey ran a hand through her hair. They sat in silence for a few moments. Poe’s easy breathing coming through the phone served to calm her mind even further. “Poe?” she asked, half afraid that he’d fallen asleep again.

“Yes?” he said immediately.

“I-” Rey started, unsure of how to begin her question. “What was my father like?” Her voice was so quiet she was a little worried that he hadn’t heard her.

“In Boston?”

“Mhm.”

“He was a good man,” Poe said immediately, seeming to sense that she needed to think of something good. “He was a Printer, he would publish one of the newspapers in Boston. You would always demand to know what he was printing when he worked when you were little, always reading anything new he gave you. You helped him sometimes when you were older.” Rey heard him shifting on the other end of the line, probably lying back down, settling in for a long conversation.

“Did-did he like me?”

“He loved you so much, Sunshine.” Poe’s voice was soft. “He brought you to Boston because he thought that you both could have a better life than the one he could provide in London.”

Rey pulled the blanket higher around her shoulders. “Why did the necklace show me that vision?”

Poe took a deep breath. “I don’t know. I don’t know why it shows what it does when it does.”

Rey sat there for a few minutes. “Sorry for waking you up.”

Poe laughed lightly. “Don’t worry about me, Sunshine. I’ll always answer.”

Rey smiled softly. “Thank you.”

Rey stared out across her apartment absently, unwilling to hang up, but unsure of what else to say.

“So,” Poe said gently. “How was the rest of your day?”

Rey smiled. “Well, nothing quite as dramatic as a broken ankle, thankfully.”

Poe chuckled. “I'm sorry, again. If it helps, I went to get you three caramel apples the next day.”

Rey laughed. “Thank you.” The fact that he knew about the apples only helped to solidify his story in her mind. This was such a weird conversation, but Poe was so easy to talk to, even easier than talking to Finn or Rose. “I just went to class, cleaned my apartment, pretty normal day.”

“What are you studying?”

At Poe’s gentle prompting Rey began to tell him about her master's. “I just took a poli-sci class as an elective five years ago and here I am, halfway through a master’s in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies.”

Poe laughed. “Well, you are gonna do something great with that, I’m sure.”

Rey blushed. “You getting visions of the future too?”

“Nah,” Poe said. “I just know that you always do amazing things when you put your mind to it.”

Rey yawned loudly, uncontrollably. “S’cuse me.”

“It’s late, you should probably sleep.” She could hear the smile on Poe’s voice.

“I should…” she trailed off, reluctant to finish the conversation. Glancing at the clock, she groaned. It was almost 4a.m.. “Thank you for talking to me.”

“Anytime.”

She hummed, trying to delay for another moment. “Goodnight.”

“Sweet dreams, Sunshine.”

Rey blushed deeply at the nickname. She paused for another moment before hanging up. She was glad that she’d called Poe. He’d made her feel so safe, she’d almost forgotten about the injury in the vision.

She climbed back into bed and turned off the light, falling asleep easily, smile still firmly fixed to her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For reference a Massachusetts shilling is approx. $10
> 
> Anyways, what did you think?  
> -Jumana
> 
> EDITED NOTE: By the way, I was thinking of maybe doing a side fic of Poe's POV of this story. Let me know if that's something you all are interested in, and if so, which scenes you would like to see. <3


	5. Sunset Beaches and Old Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay this is probably only semi edited (I edited most of it earlier today, but I just got back from the dentist and can't feel my face rn so i will probably re edit it later) but hey it's the longest chapter yet :)  
> Anyways let me know what you think  
> Enjoy  
> Jumana

Finn was walking backwards down the sidewalk as he chatted animatedly with Rey and Rose. It was finally starting to get cold, the mid-November air nipping at their exposed cheeks. Rey and Finn were used to the temperamental Chicago weather and had dressed accordingly. Rose, on the other hand, having grown up in Arizona, was bundled head to toe in at least twice as many layers as the others.

“What are you gonna do come December, Rosie?” Finn asked, stepping to the side when Rey pointed out a trash can behind him.

“Simple,” Rose said, voice muffled slightly by her scarf. “I’m gonna hibernate.”

Rey laughed. It hadn’t even been a week since she’d seen Rose and Finn, but it felt much longer since they had all spent time together. The three of them were heading to the Loop for dinner, celebrating the conclusion of their finals by stuffing themselves with Italian food then finding the nearest pastry shop and getting macarons.

Rey felt so much lighter now. She had been texting Poe pretty much non-stop since her last vision. Everything about their relationship was strange, but that didn’t stop Rey from feeling a warm bubble develop in her chest every time she thought of him.

“What are you smiling about, Peanut?” Finn asked before promptly tripping over a bike rack.

Rey and Rose laughed before reaching to help him up.

“Walk straight, weirdo," Rose said, poking him in the ribs. “Rey may be strong but we are _not_ carrying you home when you twist your ankle.”

Finn rolled his eyes and threw his arm around Rose’s shoulders, leaning in to smack a loud kiss to the side of her face. “You still haven’t given me an answer, Peanut.” He reached over Rose’s head and poked her cheek, as if to highlight her smile.

Rey swatted him away. She opened her mouth to respond but felt her pocket vibrate with a new text from Poe.

**If you had to pick: pumpkin or peppermint?**

“That!” Finn shouted. “That smile right there! You’re hiding something.” startling Rey, Finn managed to swipe her phone from her. “Who’s Poe?”

Rose’s eyes lit up as Rey grabbed her phone back. “Is that the guy?”

Rey felt her cheeks redden as she nodded.

“What!” Finn demanded. “Why didn’t you tell me you had a boyfriend?”

“It’s still pretty new,” Rey hedged as they walked through the turnstile to the L.

“Do I know him?” Finn demanded.

Rey shook her head. “I met him a few weeks ago.”

“You should invite him out with us,” Rose said, sitting in the only open seat on the train car.

“Brilliant idea, Rosie!” Rey turned to see Finn already typing a message into her phone. “And sent!”

“Hey!” Rey grabbed her phone back and opened her conversation with Poe to see what he’d written. How Finn had gotten her phone out of her pocket without her noticing was a skill she was constantly annoyed by.

**Let’s find out,** Finn had sent along with the name of the restaurant they were going to and a truly ridiculous number of emojis.

Rey let out a breath. Not the worst thing Finn had ever sent from her phone. She sent off another message just as the ellipses appeared on her screen. **Sorry about that. My friend Finn stole my phone. Buy you’re more than welcome to come celebrate with us if you want.**

His response was quick. **What are we celebrating?**

**We survived finals week.**

**Sounds like something worth celebrating. I’d love to come.**

Rey felt her smile spreading across her face. **I’ll see you soon, then.** She sent off before looking up. “Alright, he’s coming, happy?”

“Yus!” Finn was literally pumping his fist in the air as Rose laughed at them.

“No being weird,” Rey said sternly, waving a finger under his nose.

Finn scoffed. “I am never weird.”

Rey raised a skeptical eyebrow at him. “The last guy I went out with you decided to crash our first date because, and I quote, ‘Rose doesn’t like chocolate strawberries, how can I ever trust her to raise our children?’ and then proceeded to lament that fact for fifteen minutes.”

Finn opened his mouth to protest, but Rose cut him off. “You’re always a little weird, hun, give it up.”

Finn groaned. “Fine, take her side, but I’m not making fudge for a month.”

Rose stuck her tongue out at him before all three of them broke out into slightly hysterical giggles.

* * *

It was almost strange seeing Poe chatting animatedly with Finn so easily as their empty plates were taken away. Finn had tried to play the ‘tough guy, older brother’ role that he usually did when meeting any guy who asked Rey out. Poe, however, had disarmed him quite easily, engaging him in a lively discussion about soccer that took them through most of the meal and evolving seamlessly into an easy conversation.

Rose, who was sitting opposite Rey, smirked at her every thirty seconds as Finn groaned about something on Game of Thrones.

“Honestly, they aren’t doing the whole Bran plot justice,” Poe said. “It’s half explained, and the way the kid’s acting just throws everything off.”

“Thank you!” Finn cried, ignoring Rose when she tried to remind him that they were indoors.

The waitress brought the check just then, handing it to Poe without even looking at the others. “Thank you,” he said pulling his card out of the folder before scribbling his signature on it and handing it back.

“Wait, what just happened?” Rose asked, confused, looking back between Poe and the door the waitress had disappeared through. “How did she already have your card?”

Poe smiled at her as he tucked it back into his wallet.

“What the hell?” Finn demanded. “When did you pay?”

“What?” Poe asked, feigning innocence as he looked at their astonished faces.

Rose and Finn turned to Rey in unison. “Marry the man,” Finn said, while Rose simply said “Yes.”

Rey buried her face in her hands.

Poe laughed as he pulled her hand down, running his thumb over the pulse in her wrist.

Rey looked up at him. He’d been doing that all night, reaching out to touch her hand or her shoulder, or to brush a piece of hair back. His expression was unreadable in those moments, almost radiantly happy, but with a twinge of sadness, as if he couldn’t fully believe she was there.

As they were walking back to Poe’s car Rose tugged on her arm, pulling her back a step from the guys, who had gone back to talking about soccer.

“You two are adorable,” she whispered into Rey’s ear. “If I didn’t know better I would swear you’ve been dating for years…” Rose trailed off, a question evident in her voice.

Rey was sure that the blush would never fade from her cheeks as she looked at her feet. Luckily she was spared answering as they reached the car and climbed in.

“So,” Poe asked from the driver’s seat, looking over his shoulder at Rey and Rose in the back. “Where to next?”

Rose rattled off the name of a bakery near their school and Poe began driving. Finn turned and looked at them. “So, Peanut, you never told me how you two met.

“I never told you anything,” Rey teased, catching Poe’s eye in the rear view mirror as he pulled onto Lake Shore Drive.

“C’mon, Peanut,” Finn needled. “Or I’m gonna start telling people you two met at Dashcon.”

“How dare you!” Rey shouted, trying to sound indignant over her giggles. “Need I remind you that you were the one who actually went to Dashcon, not me.”

Finn resolutely ignored her taunts. “Tell me!”

Rey cast a look at Poe. “We met at the museum,” she finally settled on. It wasn’t exactly a lie, but Rey still felt a little guiltily at hiding the truth from him, no matter how weird that truth actually was.

“Why didn’t we see him?” Finn demanded. “We were with you the whole time.”

“I went by myself a few weeks ago…” Rey trailed off.

Finn looked pensive for a moment. “You went to see that painting again, didn’t you?”

Rey nodded, feeling a blush rise on her cheeks. Finn on the other hand wasn’t done talking.

“Did you see the painting?” he asked, turning to Poe. “Didn’t it look just like Rey? It’s so weird.”

Poe was biting his lip against a smile as he turned to look over his shoulder, parallel parking with ease.

“What’s so funny?” Rose asked, looking between Rey and Poe with raised eyebrows.

Poe looked at Rey and gave her a quick wink before getting out of the car.

“What?!” Finn and Rose demanded in unison, turning to see Rey’s flaming face.

Rey just shook her head and stepped out onto the curb.

“So,” Poe said, smile still fixed on his face. “You never answered my question from earlier.”

“Which one?” Rey asked, studiously ignoring Finn and Rose, who had emerged from the car and were now whispering rapidly to each other as they began to walk down the street.

“Peppermint or Pumpkin?”

“Hmm,” Rey hummed, smiling as she reached out and took Poe’s hand. “Is both an answer?”

Poe laughed. “Absolutely.”

Just as they paused at the corner, the inside of Rey’s wrist brushed against the leather of Poe’s watch strap. The contact was small and unexpected, but Rey gasped as the vision fell around her. The last thing she saw was Poe’s concerned face.

 

_Sunlight glinted off the clear water as they walked along the banks of the Mediterranean. They had spent a long lovely day just splashing about in the shallows with their friends. Sabine and Ezra had suggested that the six of them enjoy the warm weather and they had all made a day of it._

_Raisa swung their joined hands slightly as they walked, taking care not to trip over the loose skirt she had put on over her mostly dry bathing suit._

_“Do you think Hera and Kanan will get married?” She asked. It was a fairly innocent question, but one that constantly struck up a debate between her and Poe. They had been introduced to each other by Hera and Kanan almost a year ago now, and Raisa was adamant that Kanan had a ring hidden somewhere in his home since the day she met him and Poe._

_Poe smiled down at her as he stepped over a piece of driftwood that had washed ashore._

_“What do you know that I don’t?” Raisa demanded, tugging on his hand to pull him to a stop._

_His smile got wider. “I can’t tell you,” he said, beginning to take another step forward._

_“What!” Rey demanded, quickening her stride to stand right in front of him. “What can’t you tell me?”_

_“I can’t tell you because, while I love you more than life itself, you will not be able to keep this a secret for long.”_

_Poe’s smile turned into a loud laugh at the affronted look on Raisa’s face. “I can keep a secret!” She shouted, feeling childishly petulant._

_Poe pulled her hand up to press a kiss to her knuckles. “Sweetheart, listen to me, you will know everything soon enough, I promise.”_

_Raisa humphed, and dropped his hand, turning to walk a little ways ahead of Poe, trying to indicate her displeasure at his furtiveness._

_“Sunshine,” Poe called._

_She could hear his footsteps behind her. Stubbornly trying to keep her frown on her face, she didn’t turn when she felt his arms wrap around her waist from behind, pulling her tightly against his chest. “I love you,” he whispered in her ear._

_Raisa stared out across the water, pretending to ignore him, even as her fingers intertwined with his against her rib cage. They were standing now at the edge of the rocky beach, watching the sky turned from orange to darkest blue as Poe began to hum in her ear, rocking them both gently.  
_

_Raisa could feel her annoyance ebbing away as they swayed. Poe pressed a kiss to her shoulder before spinning her gently to face him. “We should go back. The others will be wondering where we got to.”_

_Raisa put her arms around Poe’s neck. “Let them talk.” She leaned her head against his shoulder. Just then her stomach growled. Raisa could feel her face heating up._

_“Well,” Poe said, a smile back on his voice. “Maybe they will talk, but they will have food.”_

_She leaned back to look him in the eye. “You know me too well, Massassi.”_

_Poe’s eyes were heavy on her face, as if he were trying to etch this moment into his memory the way he did his sketchbooks. He released her waist, and they began walking back to where the others were hand in hand._

 

Rey’s breath came back to her in a sudden gasp. She was back in Poe’s car, this time in the passenger’s seat. Turning her head she saw Rose in the driver’s seat.

“Oh thank God!” Rose cried when she saw Rey was awake. “What happened? Are you okay?”

“I’m-” Rey broke off with a cough. “I’m fine. What happened? Where’s Poe?”

Rose’s expression did not lose any of its concern. “You passed out, sweetie. Just like you did when you tried on the necklace, but without touching anything.”

That wasn’t right. Rey was sure she’d touched something. “Where’s Poe?” she asked again.

Rose’s lips pursed. “They’re outside.”

Rey sat up straighter, her head clearing as she looked out of the window to where the two men were standing on sidewalk.

“He’s worried about you. You just collapsed in the middle of the street.”

Rey opened her mouth to say something to that, but at that moment the car door was opened. She saw Poe kneeling down on the concrete of the sidewalk, his hands already outstretched to her. “Rey, what happened?”

Finn was leaning over Poe’s shoulder. “Peanut, are you alright?” he demanded, louder than Poe, clearly still adrenalized from worry.

Rey took a steadying breath. “I’m fine,” she said, looking up at Finn for a moment before her eyes locked with Poe’s again. “It- I think it was the night Hera and Kanan got engaged.”

A small smile pull at the corner of Poe’s mouth. “What triggered it?”

Rey thought back. “I- I think it was your watch.” Poe nodded sagely.    

“Is someone going to tell me what is going on?” Finn demanded as Poe unfastened his watch and tucked it into the inner pocket of his jacket.

Rey looked back up at Finn, her mouth hanging open slightly, unsure of what to say. Rose’s hand reached out and gripped her shoulder.

“It’s a long story,” Poe said, his eyes never wavering from Rey’s face. “And you probably won’t believe any of it.”

“Try me.” Finn sounded petulant.

“Sometimes,” Rey started. “Sometimes, I get visions of a past life and I pass out.”

Whatever Finn was expecting, that clearly wasn’t it. His crossed arms relaxed to his sides. “What are you talking about?”

“Reincarnation,” Poe said distractedly, one hand coming up to Rey’s face as if to feel for a temperature. “It’s real.”

“So that’s what happened with the necklace?” Rose asked. “A memory from another life?”

“You knew about this!” Finn demanded.

Rose glared up at him. “Calm down, Rey is fine. We’re going to figure this all out.”

Finn’s anger lasted about ten more seconds. Rey could see the fight going out of his shoulders.

“We should probably go somewhere more private to discuss this,” Poe said, standing up and brushing off the knees of his jeans.

Rey nodded. Rose got out of the driver’s seat and slid into the back with Finn. Poe started the engine and pulled smoothly away from the curb.

“Where are we going?” Finn asked.

“My apartment’s as good as anywhere to explain.”

Turning to look over her shoulder at the other two, Rey smiled. “I’m fine, really guys.”

Rose nodded. Finn still looked baffled, but he seemed to be taking this in.

Rey was sure they would all figure this out. She didn’t want them to worry. She could handle herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so what did you think?  
> \- Jumana
> 
> P.S. All this tumblr drama brought back all the weird tumblr history that we never talk about. For example, Dashcon happened just outside of Chicago the summer after my freshman year of college (you could get to it by the L) and I actually knew a girl who went.... god i've been on tumblr too long ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> P.P.S. Honestly that whole scene with the check was only semi exaggerated, idk how it is in other cultures but in Arab culture (and a bunch of others) generosity is seen as the height of importance and being miserly is seen as the biggest sin. Ergo people do weird tricks and fight over the check. For Example [This Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZTdp11a-IU) is REAL i've seen my dad pull shit like that. Moral of the story: find yourself Arab friends/aunties/uncles ;D


	6. Explanations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woohoo Finally got this done. this is mostly setup for the next few big plot lines but let me know what you think :)  
> I am hoping to start and post a side fic for Poe's POV soon so stay tuned for that :). 
> 
> Hope you like this 
> 
> \- Jumana

As Poe drove the car Rey could feel the tense silence all around her. Finn and Rose sat in the back, Finn’s eyes staring a hole in the back of her head.

Poe pulled smoothly into a garage behind a large brick building. Turning off the engine he twisted to face the others. “Alright, we’re just upstairs.” His voice was light, projecting calm.

Finn and Rose stepped out of the car.

“You alright?” Poe asked Rey as she moved to open her door.

Rey turned back to him. His worry was clearly written on his face. Rey smiled at him. “I’m fine now. The visions don’t take that long to come out of.”

Poe nodded, then cast a look out the window. “And them?”

Rey sighed. “They’ll come around. Finn’s just - Finn’s the only real family I have this time, he’s a bit protective. Same with Rose.” She shrugged. “And, it’s not like any of this is exactly normal.”

Poe smiled softly at her, his hand reaching to squeeze hers reassuringly. “No, it isn’t. You ready?”

Rey nodded and opened her car door.

Rose and Finn were having a quiet discussion but quickly clammed up when Rey walked up to them.

They walked up to Poe’s apartment in silence. The apartment was very large, with large floor to ceiling windows and and light wooden floors. Poe lead them past the foyer and the kitchen into his living room, which was decorated with various trinkets from a variety of places, giving the whole area a homey eclectic feeling. Rey smiled as she took a seat on the dark leather sectional in Poe’s living room. Rose was looking around, taking in their surroundings, but Finn’s eyes still hadn’t left Rey’s face.

Poe returned from the kitchen, setting some some water bottles on the coffee table before taking the seat next to Rey.

“Okay, Finn,” Rey said into the silence, cracking open a water bottle and taking a sip. “Spit it out.”

Finn took a deep breath. “What exactly happened back there?”

“Rey had a flashback,” Poe said, leaning back against the leather cushions. “Something triggered a memory and she fell into it, reliving the experience.”

“You said ‘reincarnation’ by the car,” Finn said, his stubborn expression not moving.

“Rey and I-” Poe faltered, clearly choosing his words carefully. “There are a group of people who come back for multiple lifetimes, returning with certain memories from each life, that's what happens to Rey and I.”

“What proof do you have?”  

“The painting from the museum was of me, Finn,” Rey said, gently. “Poe painted it.”

“Yeah, and that could also be some weird coincidence.”

Rose took Finn’s hand. “The necklace from the painting is in Rey’s apartment.”

“What?” Finn asked, bewildered.

Rey pulled out her phone, pulling up a picture she’d taken of the necklace in it’s velvet case and passing it to him.

“That necklace appeared in my mailbox a week before we went to the Art Institute. Every time I touch it, It gives me visions of a past life.”

Finn stared between Rey and Poe. “But you didn’t have the necklace today.”

Rey shook her head. “No, it’s still in my apartment.”

“So how-” Finn began.

“I also have some items from our shared past,” Poe said, reaching to grab his jacket from the back of the couch. “My watch, for example.” He pulled the thin watch from his jacket pocket and set it on the table for Rose and Finn to see. “Rey touched it and it triggered a memory.”

Rose reached out to pick up the watch. “But…” she said, glancing up at Poe. “But why does the watch not trigger your memories? Why don’t you pass out like Rey did?”

Rey felt Poe tense minutely beside her. “It’s- I’ve had that watch a long time. It’s shown me all the memories it’s going to.”

Something about the way Poe said that didn’t sit right with Rey. Poe hadn’t lied, but Rey knew him well enough, both from their encounters here and her memories, that he was holding something back.

“But-” Finn began, turning to Rey. “How much do you remember?” Finn sounded as confused as ever.

“I remember being in France, and in Boston,” Rey said. “Not all of the memories from there but some.”

“Those were the two most recent lifetimes,” Poe said, staring at the watch still in Rose’s hand. “Now that the memories have started coming back, other skills will too.”

“What do you mean?” Rey asked.

Poe studied her face for a moment before speaking. “Kam sana ta-’Ashtu fi Sooryah?”

“Sittah sanawat,” Rey responded immediately, blinking in surprise. She turned to look at Finn and Rose, who’s faces mirrored her shock.

“What was that?” Rose asked.

Poe’s calm demeanor didn’t change as he switched back to English. “One of our lifetimes I lived in Syria. Rey’s father was the ambassador from Rome to Damascus. You still speak Arabic very well, Ya Amar.”

Rey ducked as she felt her face flush at the endearment. “When were we in Syria?” she asked quietly.

“Around the year 1200, sometime after Salahuddin conquered the area, I’m not sure the exact dates.”

“Are you saying that you have things in this house that are over eight hundred years old?” Rose demanded, looking amazed.

Poe smiled and shook his head. “No, the only things I’ve ever gotten that trip my memory are thing I owned in my last life.”

Rey thought about that. The watch and the necklace were both from their time in France, but Poe’s pocket knife had been his in Boston. Rey met his gaze, trying to convey her question silently. Poe’s eyes held that same haunted look they’d had when they’d sat on the swings, and Rey knew it wasn’t the right time to ask.

Finn let out a low whistle. “Wow.” Rose set the watch back on the table and leaned back against the couch.

Rey took another sip of her water, staring at her hands as she waited for someone to break the silence.

“Okay then,” Finn said, his voice still bemused.

Rey looked up at him. Finn was wearing that befuddled smile he sometimes wore when Rey rambled about her thesis. “You’re really alright with this?” she asked.

Finn shrugged. “I’m still processing all of this.”

“Yeah.” Rose nodded.

“Well,” Poe said, his expression clearing smoothly as he turned from Rey. “If you have any questions feel free to ask.”

Rey could hear the faintest hint of tension still in his voice. She reached out a hand and trailed her fingers over his wrist, hoping to give him some comfort.

His hand flipped over and caught her’s, giving her fingers a small squeeze as he smiled at her.

Finn clapped his hands loudly, clearly feeling awkward. “Well, this has been fun, but there’s a game on and I really want to rub it in Hux’s face when Bayern loses.”

Poe laughed, his shoulders relaxing. “The Dortmund game?” he asked.

“Yes!” Finn exclaimed, clearly grateful to be back on more normal subjects of conversation.

Poe smiled and reached for the remote on the coffee table. “I recorded it earlier, if you wanted to stay…” he trailed off, clearly giving them a chance to refuse if they wanted to.

“Hell yes!” Finn shouted. “You have a real TV, I was just gonna watch it on my laptop.”

Poe laughed. “Well, you can come over any time.”

“You’re gonna live to regret that promise,” Rey whispered in his ear as she leaned into his side.

Poe smiled at her, raising their joined hands to press a kiss to the back of her knuckles.

They spent the next hour and a half yelling at the screen - even Rose, who preferred basketball to soccer, go into the game. Every so often Rose or Finn would turn to Poe and ask a question about being an Old Soul.

“How many lifetimes do you remember?”

“Seven.”

“What’s your oldest memory?”

“Probably ancient Greece.”

“Will Rey get all of the memories too?”

“Eventually.”

The one question that stuck out to Rey was about the painting.

“So how many paintings of Rey did you make?” Rose asked during halftime.

Poe laughed. “Probably twenty, but there are dozens more sketches out there somewhere.”

“How did they end up in the museum?”

“I put them there.”

Rey looked at Poe, studying the careful expression on his face. Rose didn’t ask another question about the painting, but Rey was burning with curiosity.

The rest of the evening passed in amiable conversation. Rey was almost surprised at how easily Poe fit into her life.

As they were leaving Rey paused at the door. Rose and Finn were already at the Uber, but Rey hesitated. “Thank you,” she said, smiling up at Poe.

He returned her smile easily. “They took it better than the last time we tried to tell someone.”

Rey felt confused. “What were you expecting?”

“Well,” Poe shrugged. “Last time was in Boston about twenty years before the Witch Trials.” He laughed bitterly. “Lets just say I’m beyond  relieved that Maz and her friend were there to help us smooth things over with my parents and your dad.”

Rey smiled wider at that, before faltering. “I know-” she began. “I know you were holding something back before, when we were explaining this to Rose and Finn, something about France.” She paused, watching his expression change slightly. “You don’t have to say anything, I won’t tell the others. But-but you know you can tell me anything, right?”

Poe’s eyes softened. “I know, Rey.” He took her hands and pressed a kiss to the back of each. “I will tell you, but not yet. I - I can’t just yet.” The haunted look had returned to his eyes when he looked up.

Rey pulled her hands from his and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “Okay, when you’re ready, I’ll be here.”

Poe’s arms tightened around her waist and he pressed a kiss to her hair. “I know.”

Rey pulled back reluctantly when she heard Finn shout from the Uber.

“I’ll see you next week?” Poe asked as she walked down the steps.

She smiled up at him. “Definitely.” She got into the Uber next to Rose and waved as they pulled away from the curb.

* * *

“S’cuse me.”

Rey jumped from her little half doze against the study carrel at the library. She looked up to see a tall man with dark hair looking at her. “Hello?” she said, rolling her shoulders.

“Are you in Professor Ackbar’s 405 class?” the man asked.

“Uh, yeah?” Rey said. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”

The man smiled and took the seat next to her. “Oh, I just transferred, I’ll be starting next quarter.”

“Oh, that’s nice.” Rey was beginning to feel awkward under his persistent stare.

“I’m Ben Solo,” he said, offering his hand.

Rey managed a polite smile as she shook his hand. “Rey Kenobi.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Rey.” Something about the way he said her name felt odd to her, as if he knew her, as if they’d already met. Rey brushed it off.

“Likewise,” she said quietly. “Well, I really should get back to…” she trailed off, gesturing at her thesis research scattered across the desk in front of her.

“Of course,” he said standing up. “I’ll see you around, Rey.” With that he walked back to the doors of the library, leaving Rey feeling oddly wrong-footed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation for what Poe and Rey said 
> 
> Kam sana ta-’Ashtu fi Sooryah? - كم سنة تعيش في سوريا؟  
> >How many years did you live in Syria?
> 
> Sittah sanawat - ست سنوات  
> >Six years
> 
> Ya Amar - يا قمر  
> > Term of endearment meaning "My Moon"
> 
> Anyways what did you think?  
> \- Jumana


End file.
